Sunday, December 11, 2011

Browsing through my blog postings today, I see lots of posts still sitting as drafts on my website storage waiting to be posted. I am just so lazy to write this year since I am into other things. Here is an interesting post about a beautiful historical building I visited with my son in September last year which was renovated and has been turned into a tourist attraction and has a fine dining restaurant there. Here is my write out in my draft done last year.

"Son H was having his usual one day off from work per week and he brought up the idea of going out for lunch with me to this special place called Suffolk House. It is indeed a great house or rather a big mansion to me. It is a historical building said to be build by Captain Francis Light more than 2 centuries ago. It had been restored and is one of the great heritage building in Penang. More info about Suffolk House can be seenhereand here."

Thursday, December 8, 2011

It is seems like more than a decade that I had gone back to teaching or in fact in touch with any kids at all after I had been disabled with RA, ( Rheumatoid Arthritis). Much to my anxieties when my niece and sister wanted me to help out with their child learning centre at KidsComp which has baking class as one of their many holiday programs recently.

So it is an opportunity for me to get in touch with teaching again or in short as well as with the outside world of kids. My past teaching career was with only kids at school and within the confinement of a music room with the piano, musical notes and theory as the main subject. So what am I going to do with kids as young as six to nine years of age in the world of baking. I love baking and cooking since I have been confined at home with my music career going down the drain with some badly damaged fingers due to RA.

So with some preparations my very creative niece managed to crack her brains to come out with some interesting program that she thought the kids would loved. We go crazy running about the island looking for utensils that the kids would love to have and needed. My niece had sleepless night looking out for ideas and materials to make the classes as attractive to a child's mind. So I am only out there to help her get the kids to bake and have fun during the long year end holidays.

I have finished 2 classes so far and I am surprised that kids can have so much fun and delight in what you can offer them if you really put your time and heart into it. They were so much fun to be with and you cannot described how much you have shared your knowlege and skills in baking with them until you get down on your knees to be with them laughing, teaching as well as giving them all your attention to cleanliness and safety. They had so much enthusiasm and they just practically followed what I show them without any questions or doubt. It is such joy to be with them seeing them doing things what adults can do.

Here are some pics to share of my last 2 classes. Just watch their expression and words cannot describe how they felt and how much they could do in the world of baking......

Sunday, December 4, 2011

The other day one of my dearest friend Adelyn had turned a year older and we made it an excuse to catch up with her again to have none other than food on our mind. Though everyone was busy working their heads off we still find time to celebrate her birthday though belated. This time we had our get together celebration at a fine Thai restaurant along the busy Burma Road in Pulau Tikus known as Aroi Thai Restaurant. Here are what we ordered for the 5 of us........

Cha Om... a Thai omelette with Om vegetables.......The omelette was nicely fried with a crispy outer layer with the Om vegetable wrapped in the inner layer. Quite appetizing for those who love omelette but I would prefer if they add more of Om vegetables for a more crunchy taste to the dish instead of the eggy smell overpowering the sweet smell of Om vege.

Pandan Wrapped Chicken....a herbal marinated pieces of chicken thighs wrapped in pandan leaves and then deep fried in hot oil. The meat was nicely marinated and taste good with the aromatic flavors of pandan in its tender meat.

Geang Som Pla.......Sweet and sour fish... A very nice spicy dish with a special sweet spicy and sour soup cooked with slices of coconut flesh and coconut water that is poured over the deep fried fish. The soup was yummy according to my niece Lena and as she almost drank up all the soup to my delight as to its goodness. I had to be contented with just nibbling on the crispy fish and the sweet slices of coconut flesh drowned in the sweet and sour sauce.

Poo Cha,....a new dish of the restaurant which was not on the menu yet. It is actually stuffed crabs with crabmeat and minced meat with some herbal ingredients. It was stuffed with too much of meat which I find too meaty for my liking. More crabmeat with less minced meat and a more spicy flavor is what I find lacking. Though the meaty fillings was eaten with some sambal belacan provided I would love to have more of the spicyness of pepper or ginger in the fillings.

Overall the food was nicely presented and pleasing to the eyes. Service was good too with not too much waiting and served with a smile. The nicely lit up spaces of warm lightings making the ambience cosy and relax. We really had a great night there feeling our tummies to the brink and have no more space for any desserts but seeing that we are still spending our time chatting for an extra hour after dinner the owner was kind enough to give us a plate of mango glutinous rice with coconut milk on the house.